THE SIGNING of a memorandum of association between Hermes Airports and a so far unnamed Chinese company with a view to developing the old Larnaca airport into commercial showrooms and a logistical services centre was welcome news. Although there is a long way to go for the completion of negotiations, which have not yet started, and the signing of a business deal, the memorandum is a first step towards putting into effect an excellent idea... 7 comments

THE HOUSE yesterday passed a law with immediate effect restricting the right of air traffic controllers to strike, in a move designed to put a stop to a string of work stoppages by controllers that have wrought havoc on air travel in recent weeks.The government bill, fast-tracked by the executive and the legislature working in rare unison, makes it a criminal offence for any ATC to refuse to work when required, and provides for penalties of up two years in prison and/or a fine of €2,550. The penalties are provided for under an existing law.  ... Read on

CYPRUS AIRWAYS is the best example of the political rot in which the Cyprus Republic has lived for the 52 years of its existence. Anyone who wants to find documentation of the scale of the crimes committed by the politicians against this country does not need to dig up new sources or go through state archives seeking classified papers. None of this is required. The corruption, populism, demagoguery and all the dirt that are an integral part of our political life can be found at the offices of Cyprus Airways. Whoever wants to investigate the causes for the economic mess the country is in today only has to look at the history of the national carrier. It is all there in black and white... 7 comments

 GOVERNMENT and parliament were engaged in talks yesterday with a view to regulating strikes in essential services, as fresh industrial action by air traffic controllers (ATCs) over a pay dispute, inconvenienced thousands of passengers and hurt the island financially and politically.Communications Minister Efthimios Flourentzos said consultations were taking place between the government and political parties, expressing hope that the problem would be resolved.Twenty flights were disrupted yesterday, as striking ATCs shut down the Republic’s two airports for hours, on the first day of scheduled industrial action.“Certainly the damage is huge,” the minister told reporters... 17 comments

AIR TRAFFIC to and from the island will temporarily grind to a halt today as air traffic controllers (ATCs) again strike over a pay dispute with the government.The controllers will be striking at Larnaca and Paphos airports from noon to 4pm, while more work stoppages are planned for the 7th, 12th and 15th of this month. The action will not include VIP flights, state and military flights or emergencies... 16 comments

THE FIRST of the four-hour work stoppages announced by the air traffic controllers (ATC) takes place tomorrow. Another three will follow by the middle of March as part of their union’s blackmail tactics. More stoppages could be announced for later this month as tourists start to arrive for the Catholic Easter holiday, if the controllers fail to impose their pay demands on the government.Communications minister Efthymios Flourentzos on Tuesday urged the controllers to consider the consequences would have on the economy and appealed to them “to return to the dialogue so that all this damage is avoided”. Why do we expect the controllers to behave more responsibly when they are faced with a minister who does nothing but beg them to return to the negotiating table?... 9 comments

CYPRUS Airways (CY) yesterday said it needed additional capital of around €45 million as it posted a €19 million net loss, hit by intensified competition and rising fuel costs.The airline said it was drafting an action plan that included an increase in share capital and cutting labour costs, in a bid to secure its long-term viability.“Implementation of the measures of the Action Plan will lead to a drastic reduction in the operating losses for the current year in comparison to 2011 and it will have a favourable impact on the long term viability of the Company,” CY said in a statement.Efforts to find a strategic investor will continue, it added... 10 comments

CYPRIOT flag carrier Cyprus Airways said yesterday full-year results would be a "significant departure" from 2010 after being hit by intensified competition and rising fuel costs.The board will meet next Tuesday to discuss full-year results and capitalisation issues.Cyprus Airways, which made a net profit of €215,000 in 2010, posted a loss of €29.3 million for the first half of 2011.The government, which owns 70 per cent of the airline, has said it wanted a strategic investor who could potentially assume a majority stake in the company... 7 comments

BRITISH Airways (BA) is re-launching its direct flights between Paphos and London Gatwick, as part of its summer flight schedule, which starts from March 25. BA flights from and to Paphos are scheduled for every Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.Flight BA2677 from Paphos International Airport to London Gatwick will depart at 4.05pm local time with estimated time of arrival in London at 7pm local time.Flight BA2676 from Gatwick will depart at 8.35am and reach Paphos at 3.10pm local time. A spokesman for the airline told the Cyprus Mail: “It was always the intention of BA to resume the service for the summer; the flights were only stopped last year for the winter season.” ... 9 comments

 IT HAS become an annual February tradition for the taxpayer to fork out a few tens of millions of euro to save a state-owned airline.In 2010, we generously gave €35 million to Eurocypria, which closed down before the year was out. Last year we kindly offered Cyprus Airways €25 million in compensation to supposedly cover the losses it had been incurring because it could not fly through Turkish air-space.And this year we are looking at a donation of between €20 and €30 million (nobody has mentioned a figure yet) in the form of a capital increase. The pretence the cash injection is not a state subsidy must be maintained if we are to fool the EU. ... 12 comments